Kale Provides More Calcium Than Milk
Alright, alright, everybody just settle down. People love milk so I’m not going to totally bash on it.
The truth is, while milk may contain a fair amount of calcium, it is tightly bound to a protein called casein. Our bodies have a really hard time breaking down casein, so the calcium in milk is not considered highly bioavailable.
What is bioavailability?
It’s our bodies ability to actually access nutrients from a specific food. It’s what you are able to utilize.
Kale also contains a lot of calcium and when it’s steamed, that calcium becomes even more bioavailable.
- 100g steamed kale = 254mg of calcium (about 25% recommended daily intake)
Here’s a little visual to really drive it home – in the case of milk, it’s like trying to get into a club that has a demogorgon guarding the door. It’s going to take some time to get in to the party. You fight and fight, slowly chipping away at it and finally…you get in.
With steamed kale, you just have a guy outside reading a book who asks you, “you’re 21, right?” and you’re in!
Badda bing badda boom!
Studies have also shown that kale may:
– Increase HDL (‘good’) and lower LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol
– Reduce risk of certain cancers
– Help the body detoxify
Wondering what you can do with kale? Not a fan of kale? Trying to get your kids to eat kale but aren’t sure how?
Check out this mouth-watering recipe that will have EVERYONE in your family gobbling up kale.
Nacho Cheese Kale Chips
References:
- Boston 677 Huntington Avenue, Ma. Kale. The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/kale/. Published February 26, 2018.
- Calcium in Kale – Breakdown of Calcium in this Nutrient-Rich Vegetable. AlgaeCal. https://www.algaecal.com/calcium/foods/kale/. Accessed June 10, 2019.
